What is the fate of women in a world that belongs to men? And how hard is it to raise your head and finally start fighting for justice? This is what Elizabeth Wetmore's novel "Valentine" is about - a novel of incredible power, powerful and righteously furious. America, 70s. The oil boom sweeps through Texas like a tornado, promising men unprecedented wealth. For women, it promises only men dulled by unexpected profits and constant drunkenness. On the morning after Valentine's Day, fourteen-year-old Gloria Ramirez appears on the threshold of Mary Rose's farm - beaten, frightened, begging for help. Word that she was raped by a white oil worker quickly spreads through the small town, but few believe Glory's words. “A riveting debut... Valentine is the story of how women—especially women without education or money—survive in a world of male cruelty . This is the story of their lives in a remote oil town in the mid-1970s, which Wetmore seems to know so intimately that it hurts... A carefully crafted and emotionally gripping novel." – Washington Post “A monument to a kind of mercy and true grit.” – Entertainment Weekly “Furious and complex, Valentine is a novel of moral relevance and breathtaking prose. This is the very definition of a stunning debut." – Anne Patchett “I can’t believe Elizabeth Wetmore is an aspiring writer. How did she manage to burst onto the scene with such power and skill? "Valentine" is brilliant, poignant, intense and devastating. Wetmore wrested the cruel, grandiose West Texas from the hands of men and gave the voice to girls and women, those who always suffered, survived and still left their mark in this hostile world. These incredibly vibrant and unforgettable female characters will stay with me forever.” —Elizabeth Gilbert “Wetmore wrested the brutal, grandiose setting of Texas from the hands of men and gave the voice to girls and women, those who always suffered, but survived and still made their mark in this hostile world. These incredibly vibrant and unforgettable female characters will stay with me forever.” – Elizabeth Gilbert